WICHITA, Kan. (KAKE)- Fifty three years ago today, a plane carrying Wichita State University students, coaches, boosters, administrators, and three crew members crashed into a Colorado mountainside and 31 people died. 

Standing tall at WSU is a memorial honoring those who died in the crash called Memorial 70. Every year on the anniversary dozens of people gather here to remember this tragic event that changed the campus community forever. Talking to old friends, sharing stories about those who died, and remembering tomorrow is never promised.

Craig Leonard is one of those who came to the remembrance ceremony this year. He was a passenger on the Black Plane. There were two planes flying that day: the black and the gold. The Black plane landed safely in Utah while the Gold plane crashed into a Colorado mountainside after the pilot decided to switch routes and take a sightseeing tour through the Rocky Mountains.

With tears in his eyes Leonard explained how he found out 14 of his close friends and teammates had died.

"One of the coaches just gave us the name of the survivors and his final words were that's all there is boys," he said while choking up when sharing this emotional memory.

The night of the crash he called his now wife, Becky Leonard, who was a WSU student. 

Becky explains what it was like back home on campus.

"It was pretty shocking. At first we didn't know which plane had actually crashed. I didn't know which plane he was on at first," she said.

For a moment Becky thought she lost Craig and she said that was terrifying to think about.

Craig says before learning who all had died he was hopeful there were more survivors. In his conversation with Becky he spoke optimistically about how many people were going to recover. On the other end of the phone Becky says she stayed quiet because she already knew just how many lives were lost. 29 of the 40 people died and two more would die from their injuries later.

"It's pretty hard to talk about. When you come back here every year it gets emotional," Leonard said.

At the ceremony, WSU President Rick Muma stood up and spoke about why the campus feels it's important to remember this every year.

"We pause to pay tribute and remember the family and friends held dear," he said.